This event is specifically organized for district paraprofessionals, who are required to regularly renew their Red Cross CPR certification at their own expense. The training typically costs $80-100, but we have organized a group rate and will offer it for just $30 (or less, depending on our registration numbers).

Please reach out to the Paraprofessionals and SSAs in your building to see if they would benefit from this program. Click here to RSVP now!

Have you maximized your salary as a school district employee? At this workshop, we will share the most effective ways to earn graduate credits online in order to shift to a better salary schedule, as well as how to navigate the district process of submitting the paperwork. Anybody who has not yet earned any graduate credits on top of their Bachelor's or Master's degree should be at this event. See the flyer above for more info, and click here to RSVP Now!

If you haven't yet noticed, the new PFT contract means that the District will again be honoring advanced degrees and graduate credits starting July 1st, 2017. Additionally, the contract has preserved the Senior Career Teacher status, which requires ten years of service, state certifications in two or more subjects, and a Masters degree plus 60 additional credits.

Don’t let your salary losses accumulate more than they have to (see this chart compiled by the Caucus of Working Educators). If you have the credits, you can move up a lane immediately to Masters +30 and, once you hit your 10-year anniversary and earn an additional 30 credits, submit your paperwork for Senior Career Teacher.

This will significantly help minimize the amount of money you may have lost during the status quo contract freeze from 2013-17 and help you recoup much of that salary.

(If you are not sure what salary schedule you are at, you can either multiply BASE pay on your paycheck by 21.7 or click here to go to the District's Open Data and search for your name under Employee Information. All of our salaries are public information.)

You can examine the District's requirements and protocol (both Masters + 30 and Senior Career) for Salary Upgrades here.

Once you have completed enough graduate credits (90 credits above your Bachelors, after having obtained a Masters) for Senior Career then make sure you have dual certification. You can view Teaching Certificates offered in PA here(Note: K-12 Certificates already pre-qualify as dual cert.)

Finally, the following is just a short list of online courses priced under $400 for 3 credits. If you find more, please leave them in the comments section for others to see and so that we can edit this list as time goes on!

Andrews, Greenville, and Loyola Marymount through Advancement Courses(3 Graduate credits for $449) Up to 15% discount until June 30th using promo code SUM10 (10% for 1 or 2 courses) or SUM15 (15% for 3+ courses) https://www.advancementcourses.com/

Augustana, Colorado St. Pueblo, Lourdes, Marygrove, Pacific Lutheran through Learners Edge (3 Graduate credits for $425) Get $70 off each course until June 30th using promo PHLSDSU1707 (ordering one course) or PHLSDSU1754 (order two or more) http://www.learnersedgeinc.com/

On January 3rd, we joined teachers from all over the school district for the 3rd annual Philly Collaboration of Educators. Caucus members leading sessions on immigration justice, racial justice, using restorative justice in the classroom, and educating in a climate of political change. We were able to share resources, ideas for our classrooms and schools, and ways of bringing new topics to our students. These workshops arose from deep organizing that is a part of building social movements, participation in summer book groups, facilitation of inquiry to action groups organized by Teacher Action Group - Philadelphia, and daily conversations with fellow educators in our buildings.

In our current system, professional development often arises from a top-down system that reflects a a deep need of student and teacher voices. This constant work of reclaiming professional development means that we take ownership of the time that we spend and the content of our focus as we grow as teachers to our students, commit ourselves to reflective practice in our communities of colleagues, and leaders in our schools. This is not a one time event - rather, it is a campaign to sustain autonomy over what we teach and learn in our classrooms. We can't wait to see you at the next one.

Join us for the Black Lives Matter Week of Action, as we continue to reclaim space in our schools for dialogue and learning that reflects the 13 principles of the Black Lives Matter movement and takes social movements back into our schools in Philadelphia.

WE and Teacher Action Group are among the educators working to reclaim professional opportunities across the city in the new year. We all know the best PDs are designed and facilitated by our own staff and the school district must stop outsourcing our PD to opportunist corporate consultants like Mastery and Danielson. So if you want to escape from another "data-driven" school district PD day, you are invited to register for meaningful workshops at this year's threePhilly Collaborations of Educators at Science Leadership Academy, McCall Elementary, and Central High School. These events depend on our collective energy and participation so propose a workshop!See below for these and many other opportunities to reclaim PD and return the professionalism to our profession!

In Philadelphia, teachers must beg, borrow, and (hopefully not) steal books and materials to start the school year. Until the Pennsylvania legislature, releases a budget that fairly funds public education in our state, City Council releases funds they have allocated for schools, and the SRC prioritizes teachers and students over administrators and data, our students will go without many of the materials they need to learn effectively.

WE members have been hearing from teachers across the district about desperate lack of supplies. This spreadsheet is an emergency response to post books that are needed to start classes, and any surplus books that may be hiding in book closets around the city or nearby suburbs:

If you're tired of the "Driven By Data" agenda of corporate ed reformers, why not take back your professional development days? This year's PD from 440 was designed by administrators that have since left Philly for more money. What they left is a mess. What school staff have always known is that we can do much better because we know what our students, families, and school communities need. Working Educators are growing the idea of grassroots collaboration in schools as an alternative to top-down PD.

September 3rd and 4th are professional development days and the chaos at 440 has left a vacuum of leadership. Many principals may be willing to shorten the district-mandated materials if there is something worthwhile or site-specific for their staff to engage in. Ask your principal to carve out some staff-led PD time - an hour, a day - for staff to design and lead meaningful and inspiring workshops and collaborations before school starts! Here are some suggestions to offer your colleagues:

Present a book or article you read over the summer.

Plan ways to address the needs of your ESL students and families.

Discuss how to facilitate dialogues on race and #BlackLivesMatter.

Invite community-based organizations to partner with school staff.

Choose your top 3 priorities for the year as colleagues.

Share strategies and cool things to use in the classroom.

"Turn-around" a training that you took over the summer.

Explore ways to engage teachers and youth in critical pedagogy.

Develop a year-long PD plan that staff can build on each PD day.

Address any real needs at your school site. Who knows best what solutions to try!

Once you've created the space for staff-led PD, share the great things you're doing with the Caucus blog or Facebook page. Take photos, video, and share materials to build momentum! Later this year, the Caucus of Working Educators will start to grow and share quality cross-school collaborations on district PD days. Think about the possibilities for upcoming staff-led workshops on all of these days!